# Are these real or fake?



## elas9394 (Mar 23, 2015)

Someone is trying to sell me a box of this for a very nice price, can yall help me out?


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## jeffmcrobert (Sep 3, 2015)

Fake imo. Wrong bands for 2015. Also corner sticker missing DOP. Cuban seal also isnt over the crease. I would stay away.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## ForceofWill (Sep 6, 2008)

Lol those are terrible.

Haha sorry I looked again and laughed.


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## Bird-Dog (Oct 16, 2009)

FAKE!

In addition to those tip-offs already mentioned:


Wrong hologram on seal (box date is supposedly 2015, but seal is 2009-10 type)
"Hecho en Cuba" stamp is a bad copy and poorly applied.
Date stamp should include a three letter factory code. And, the date would be applied using a single device, not two separate misaligned stamps with different size fonts as is the case with these.


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## Ubiquitous (Aug 26, 2015)

Fake. Irregular shape, poor construction, and extremely inconsistent color. These are not characteristics you should see in cigars from a reputable cigar factory. Additionally, the small white squares on the band should not be touching any borders or be cut off.


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## ForceofWill (Sep 6, 2008)

Not to mention the band's aren't consistent from cigar to cigar and the seal looks like it was printed from a portable printer.


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

You can check the barcode on the Habanos SA site.

That barcode is unauthorized.

Thus, the cigars must be fakes.


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

BTW, the barcode is the number that starts "000003..."


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## bpegler (Mar 30, 2006)

For those who want to check barcodes in the future, simply go to Authenticity Check | Habanos S.A. Sitio Oficial.

The verification process is quite simple, you enter the code and the format type.

That's why pictures of the barcode are so helpful.


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## ForceofWill (Sep 6, 2008)

Just don't assume they're real if it checks out. Easy enough to use the number from a real box. Gotta put all the pieces together.


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## Ubiquitous (Aug 26, 2015)

The authenticity of the box is not the main concern. Counterfeit Cubans can be put into an authentic box. In this instance though, as others have pointed out, the box appears to be fake as well...


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## elco69 (May 1, 2013)

Yep....Fakes, the giveaways for future ref:

1. Wrong bands
2. bands are poorly made, for the older style, dots shouldn't touch any borders and are all inconsistent
3. Date code stamp is all wrong, should have 2 sets of 3 letter and 2 digit year, like ABC SEP15
4. Habanos SA Authentication label is placed incorrectly, serial number should be on the side and not the top
5. Habanos SA Authentication label is missing Hologram and micro print
6. Cigars look like garbage and doesn't look like they have triple cap

I hope this is not a friend trying to sell this to you. If it is, should reconsider new friend, unless he is selling it for like $5, then I would chuck the cigars and use the box :vs_smile:


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## elas9394 (Mar 23, 2015)

Thanks for all the replies. No hes not a friend of mine, just some random dude i ran into at a bar, and he sent me all these pictures to see if Im interested. 

Im not an expect when it comes to identifying an authentic CC, thats why I forward these pictures to people here who has more experience, but these cigars definitely dont look right to me either, i think my cheap $2 yard-gar looks better than them.


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## Sprouthog (Jul 25, 2012)

At least 9 fails in those photos. Fake.


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## Cigary (Oct 19, 2007)

Consider yourself lucky that you didn't get duped into this "deal" as most of these scammers tend to want to sell you goods that aren't real. He might have been scammed himself and trying to unload em himself but here's the good news....our fellow BOTL are very smart when it comes to spotting fakes immediately...kudos to Bob for giving a great source to check for real/fake CC's and others for pointing out what they saw. In the future before ever purchasing CC's from an unverified source....takes pics of it and then post em up so the boys can help you. If the "source" doesn't want to deal that way....that's your RED FLAG as to knowing it's fake. A reliable source will let you verify it....a scammer will be on their way as soon as you say..."let me check the authenticity"....


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## Aithos (Jul 13, 2014)

I don't know anything about identifying fakes except that I know the white squares on the bands are NOT supposed to touch the edges and should be consistent, but everyone covered it pretty well...

The one thing I DO have to add is that *anyone* trying to sell you "cuban" cigars that you don't know and met at a bar...is trying to rip you off. Always fake. Always.


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## Chad Vegas (Sep 29, 2015)

Cigary said:


> Consider yourself lucky that you didn't get duped into this "deal" as most of these scammers tend to want to sell you goods that aren't real. He might have been scammed himself and trying to unload em himself but here's the good news....our fellow BOTL are very smart when it comes to spotting fakes immediately...kudos to Bob for giving a great source to check for real/fake CC's and others for pointing out what they saw. In the future before ever purchasing CC's from an unverified source....takes pics of it and then post em up so the boys can help you. If the "source" doesn't want to deal that way....that's your RED FLAG as to knowing it's fake. A reliable source will let you verify it....a scammer will be on their way as soon as you say..."let me check the authenticity"....


Yea Im impressed with you guys, you know all the tricks! I have little to no experience with Habanos so if someone offers to sell me some I will upload pics of them to you guys first before I buy any!


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## Sigaar (Sep 19, 2014)

Always know your source!!


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## jmcqueen (Dec 22, 2015)

keep studying.... you'll know in an instant when you see a counterfeit. lots and lots of wonderful resources online to help you. yep, start with this forum, but keep reading...and then read some more. this way, when you are approached in a bar or on a sandy beach, you'll be able to say yep or nope and not question your answer. knowledge is power and a real money saver when it comes to purchasing cc's.


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## Engineer99 (Aug 4, 2011)

I'm glad that I thought these were fakes right off the bat. My cigar-dar is functioning properly, even with just a cursory glance at the pics.

I was fooled once before and vowed to never let that happen again. I just wish I had the wisdom and resources to check here before pulling the trigger.


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## Rick Hendeson (Apr 8, 2014)

Shitsticks


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## jmcqueen (Dec 22, 2015)

rick, what's up with the one-word posts?


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